Check Up is your chance to talk to doctors about the health issues that most concern you and your family. Each week Barbara Myers is joined by a medical expert to take your calls and emails on a particular topic and give you the most up to date advice. No appointment necessary.Call 0870 010 0444

"There is no substitute for one-to-one advice from a top medical expert and that's what we offer our callers and emailers. But for each person who calls to ask for help, someone else phones in to pass on a tip or a suggestion - it's a great programme to present."

In this episode of Check Up, Barbara Myers takes listeners' calls on the subject of the bladder.

Her guest in the studio is Mark Slack, Lead Clinician in Urogynaecology at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.

Incontinence
It may be more prevalent than asthma or diabetes, and can have a more devastating effect on quality of life, but incontinence is still considered taboo by many.

Many people suffer the symptoms in silence for many years before finding the courage to seek advice.

A common type of incontinence is stress incontinence, when coughs, sneezes, laughter or sudden movements can cause a small amount of urine to leak.

Overactive bladder incontinence forces sufferers to visit the toilet many times a day and four or five times during the night.

There are treatments available, including pelvic floor exercises, drug treatments and surgery.

Blood in the urine

Many patients worry that blood in the urine is an early sign of cancer of the bladder, and while this is can be the case, there could be several other explanations.

These include bladder stones, infections, trauma or aging of the bladder cells.

So while blood in the urine isn't always a sign of something sininster, it's important to have it checked by a doctor.

Interstitial Cystitis
Cystitis occurs when the lining of the bladder becomes inflamed due to an infection, and causes sharp pain on passing urine and a frequent need to urinate.

Anyone can suffer from cystitis, although it's mostly adult women who are affected.

Interstitial Cystitis is a chronic form of the condition which causes the bladder wall to become inflamed and stiff, so that it is unable to expand to contain urine.

The cause of Interstitial Cystitis is unknown, but treatments can include antibiotics, bladder washes and treatments to distend the bladder.

Contact the Programme

Check Up is your opportunity to ask an expert about the condition. If you have a question, contact us by calling 0870 010 0444 from 1.30pm - 3.30pm on the day of broadcast or by emailing the programme - see 'Contact Check Up' link above.